Stupid Cupid!
by X-treme SR
Summary: Shadow is just too stubborn to admit his feelings too Rouge, so Cupid comes to give him a little push. But that could have been too much. How would Rouge react to Shadow's 'gaga' behavior over her? And how will she respond to his feelings for her?


_STUPID CUPID!_

_---_

_It is a curious thought, but it is only when you see people looking ridiculous that you realize just how much you love them._

_- Agatha Christie_

**---**

_**S**_hadow walked up to the door of the entry of Club Rouge, having a feeling that Rouge was decorating, he could just sense it in his bones. He sighed, and opened the bulky door to see if he was right: He literary stood corrected; as always.

Hearts of the colors red, white, pink, and purple were scattered everywhere. Heart shaped pillows were placed on the now fuzzy red sofas and balloons or the same 'girly' colors covered the whole ceiling. Shadow groaned by his friend's vexation once he realized that this was going to be happening every year now. He just forgot why Rouge would be so decorative in this kind of month, February.

He was going to get the same answer to the same question he's been asking ever since February came. The reason he kept forgetting was because it didn't mean anything to him.

"Rouge." Shadow called out in his dark voice.

"I'm over here!" He heard her call out from the kitchen room.

Shadow passed the doorway, seeing Rouge up on the ladder, trying to staple more pink and red hearts on the plain white walls. The snow white bat faced over to the black hedgehog.

"Hey there Shadow." she greeted.

Shadow ignored her greeting and folded his arms. "Rouge, what, again, is the meaning of all these decorations." he sounded demanding.

"I thought I told you last year and the year before that and the year before that--"

"And the year before that." Shadow finished.

"So that'll mean this is now the fifth time telling ya, again." Rouge teased, punching the staple firmly on the wall.

"And later on will be my fifth time forgetting." he added sounding smug.

Rouge scoffed playfully and took out another row of staples to put in the stapler. "Yeah whatever. Why not help me put the heart's up." she suggested.

"You still need to explain the meaning of this." he reminded.

Rouge groaned in impatience. "Fine. But this time, remember it." She gave him a scowl, and he nodded in response.

Rouge banged the stapler against the wall again, attaching the thousandth heart. "Tomorrow's Valentine's day. You know, when people celebrate by giving gifts to the ones closest to them, or give out cards to all their friends or relatives." she explained, but Shadow didn't seem to hear, he didn't care if it was a special day like Christmas or not.

"I don't see why beings do foolish things by celebrating over just another ordinary day."

"It might be ordinary to you, but there are millions of people who actually celebrate this day. It's the day of giving love to others."

Shadow scoffed. "Yeah, love. What a worthless feeling any mortal could feel." Shadow sneered.

Rouge rolled her eyes. Knowing Shadow, once he made up what he thought about anyone or anything, it stayed that way. She shook her head, seeing she couldn't convince her friend. "Whatever." Rouge spoke, sounding a bit offended.

Valentine's day was actually her most favored holiday for one reason. Not because of the heart shapes and bigger, red jewelry. She never told anyone actually. But Valentine's Day was the day when she met the Ultimate Life form: Shadow the Hedgehog. She smiled warmly at the memory of how they first met. On one of the most celebrated days of the year.

"Rouge!" Shadow called out, that startled her.

Rouge went back to reality and noticed that the ladder was tipping do to all her body weight leaning to one edge. The ladder started to slowly fall, with Rouge falling with it.

"Wha!--"

Rouge was about to crash into the wooden floor, but instead of expecting, cold and hard, she felt her body land on something a little softer, and warmer than expected.

"Ugh!" she heard a low grunt from someone beside her.

It was Shadow. She quickly jumped up to set a large gap between them, whipping her jumpsuit if there were any dust. And in awhile now, she blushed. Shadow, slowly stood up, holding his stomach and grimacing. Rouge only smirked.

"I'm not that heavy." she teased.

"..." Shadow didn't say anything. He only started to walk out of the kitchen. "It's getting late. I'm going to bed." he mumbled.

Rouge just watched him leave, then sigh, looking towards the clock: 11:47. It was getting late, even the outside window showed nothing but a midnight blue.

She just sighed and walked out of the room. "Guess I gotta go to bed too."

While walking up the stairs, she stopped and looked down again. _'I better thank him.'_ she told herself.

There was a sudden urge from nowhere, forcing her to walk hurriedly down the steps and entered the living room. There was Shadow, lying on the mauve sofa with his hands rested and folded on his chest. He picked the sense of his ally walking in and slowly lifted one eye-lid.

"Hey." she greeted again.

"What now?" he asked not wanting to be bothered.

Rouge walked over to 'his bed' and kneeled down next to him. "Just wanted to just say a thanks." she grinned.

"Hmpf. Whatever." Shadow responded simply and closed his open eye-lid.

After a few moments, Rouge was still there. Shadow, due to his stubbornness, just ignored her and tried to sleep, but he then felt a soft, warm pair of lips smooch his left cheek. Shadow's eyes were now fully open as he sat up abruptly. He jerked his head towards Rouge who had a grin on her face and hands on her hips that swayed to one side.

"There's your thanks." she said.

Shadow just glared at her, then laid back down, this time keeping his eyes locked on the flirtatious bat.

Rouge only did a short giggle and started walking off. "Wake up early. We got a special day for tomorrow you know."

Shadow scoffed. "Hmpf, like I could care less about another day that's just has the name of Valentine." he mentioned.

The white bat only stopped at the door and turned towards him. "Valentine's day is one of the most important holidays of the year. It's a day to give love to people."

"Love? Who needs that silly feeling?" Shadow replied with a growl.

"Why not try to think of the important ones in your life right now, then you might see what I'm trying to say." She then stormed off. "Good night!" she yelled back in anger.

Then the door slammed shut for the night.

Shadow laid on the mauve sofa, with his arms aggressively crossed. He sneered cruelly at the white ceiling. He just rolled his eyes and sighed as if he didn't have a care in the world, which he believed he didn't.

"Love. What a waste of time feeling something so worthless." he said to himself. Shadow closed his eyes shut, relaxing his body with his mind slowly starting to wonder off. "But since that bat insists. I suppose thinking about the things I care about would be adequate."

He started to thing about every person he knew and judged them if he either liked them, or despised them.

_'Sonic: Hate._

_Knuckles: Hate more._

_Amy: Too obsessed with that faker._

_Cream: Too much of a positive person._

_The Chaotix: I can care less about those idiots._

_Omega: He's alright,_

_Silver: Past my hatred,_

_Blaze: Barely even know her to identify,_

_Big: Too stupid which I hate him the most._

Shadow continually thought of all the other beings he encountered and sought out to see if he even thought they were average, disliked them, or hated them. Eggman, Metal Sonic, The Babylon Rogues. They all didn't spike up even a slim of interest. Shadow thought deeper. He was missing somebody.

He then remembered whom he missed. _'Rouge...'_ How could he forget her? His best friend, his closest ally?

Shadow opened his eyes to look at the white wall that looked midnight blue in the complete darkness. A sudden image of the snow white, gorgeous bat appeared in his thoughts. He raised an eyebrow in confusion.

_'Why am I now thinking of Rouge so... deeply?'_ he asked himself. He did not know. He laid on his back and thought of something to give his comment on. _'Rouge:...The closest person I have known throughout my life that I have been roaming the world, I love h-- no. It's so foolish of me to feel such an emotion, the Ultimate Life form say something like that? But still I feel so-- around Rouge, I just--'_

He sighed, knowing he wasn't going to say what he truly felt towards Rouge. The strong feeling he has been locking up ever since the day he laid his blood red eyes on her. He just turned towards the clock, wondering how long he has been thinking about these 'unimportant' things. 12:00

He sighed and continued on what he was going to say _'I don't need to love any body. I'm better off--'_

"Kuw!"

He was cut off by a sudden jolt he felt on his forehead. She raised his eyes and lifted his hand to feel what the abrupt hit was. He felt nothing, but the pain was still there. Shadow then felt a fluid enter his body from his forehead. He then started to unexpectedly get drowsy. His eyelids seemed to weigh a ton.

But before he did, Shadow could have sworn that he saw someone, flying above him. Like a phantom. That person, a small boy with sun-like hair and white skin that was nearly bare-skinned with a few shifts on his bottom half. His color looked so bright, like a light that lit up the room. Shadow then thought it was him who was responsible for the impulsive blow he had earlier, also seeing him carry a golden bow and a pack of heart-shaped arrows behind him, being carried on his back.

"Who. Are. You?" Shadow asked, barley in a whisper, his energy was draining fast with sleep taking him away.

The flying child smiled brightly at the black hedgehog. _**"Hi! I'm Cupid!"**_ the blond boy introduced.

Shadow was confused and urged his eyes to stay open. But he failed with his eyes fully closing, but he could still hear what the flying boy had to say.

_**"Tomorrow morning, when you lay eyes on the first female you see, you will fall deeply in love with her. Make sure you see the woman you truly want okay? Good-luck Shadow the Hedgehog!"**_ Then Shadow couldn't hear anything, anymore...

**XXX**

Shadow had finally woken up, due to the sunlight hitting his face so sudden. He covered the warm light-rays with his hand, turning his head towards the opposite direction where then sun was shinning.

"Ugh..." he moaned.

He slowly lifted up his eye-lids, but all he could make out was nothing but a purple blur. He rubbed his eyes until he was assured that his pupils had their focus and opened them again. He slowly sat up and scratched his forehead, still feeling the sudden jolt of pain he had felt from--

"Last night." Shadow whispered.

He remembered everything. Him skimming down all the ones he knew, until he got to Rouge. Then it happened: the jolt. Shadow was surprised, he had thought all that was nothing but a dream.

The child who said his named was Cupid. His tiny wings. The bow and heart-shaped arrows. Him telling Shadow about what would happen the coming morning which was--

"Today."

Right--

"Now." Shadow couldn't believe that it actually happened.

He slowly stood up and shook his head. _'What some of those humans say, "Nothings Impossible".'_ he told himself.

_"'Tomorrow morning, when you lay eyes on the first female you see, you will fall deeply in love with her. Make sure you see the woman you truly want okay? Good-luck Shadow the Hedgehog!'"_ Shadow remembered ever word that passed the weird flying boy's lips.

"Fall deeply in love with the first woman I lay eyes on? Foolish." Shadow grumbled.

_**"Just like how you first laid eyes on Rouge."**_ A voice said inside the black hedgehog's head.

Shadow's eyes widened as he gritted his teeth. _'So you're inside my head now?'_ he asked the voice inside his head.

No answer.

Shadow shook his head wildly, feeling like an idiot.

"This must be some dumb dream I'm having. There's no way I can fall strictly in love with the first female I see." Shadow told himself.

**"**_**Yes it is. Pick the one you truly love and you will forever treasure her in your--"**__ 'Shut up you stupid...you stupid...'_

"Just shut up you bastard!" Shadow scowled at himself?

The more he thought about the incident for last night, the more he swore he heard the child's voice inside his head, and the more he denied his true feelings for Rouge; Shadow the Hedgehog was starting to believe the weird flying boy about what would happen. He was starting to believe Cupid.

He cursed himself for believing a child, but that didn't make him stop his belief. He walked into the kitchen, trying to get his mind off what was happening at the moment. He opened the fridge and scanned the levels with his eyes. Nothing seemed to interest his stomach so he just shut it closed. His eyes then lingered towards the clock on top of the fridge.

9:22 a.m.

Shadow froze. He knew what was going to happen around this time.

_**SLAM!**_

The upstairs door shut with footsteps being heard from, coming down the stairs. Shadow was starting to get nervous. Odd, the first time he has ever felt tense before in quite awhile. He was starting to sweat. Shadow quickly turned away from the kitchen entry to not let his eyes see the beautiful bat. For he knew what would happen, even if he didn't believe it, he didn't want to take chances, because Rouge would start to think of him... as a freak.

The footsteps finally made it to the present floor the Ultimate Life form was on and entered the room he was in. She was dressed in her usually jumpsuit.

"Morning Shadow." she salutated all cheery.

Unlike last night, her change of person was the complete opposite. Shadow didn't turn to look at her.

"Morning." he grumbled in response.

Rouge raised an eyebrow at him, sensing something was up. The incident from last night then came back to her. She then did a small frown on how angered she was on what Shadow thought about Valentine's Day: Today.

She decided to put that aside, thinking it may start an argument between the two. "So what are your plans for today?" she asked in her most gracious voice.

"Nothing." Shadow answered.

Rouge was starting to wonder. Shadow was acting a bit different. He was answering with the one word response, that was normal. But, he seemed to have answered her question too quickly and too strict than usual. She turned towards him and placed her hands on her hips, this time knowing something was certainly going on.

"Shadow, what's up with you this time?" she asked, sounding seriously suspicious.

"Nothing." Shadow exclaimed repeatedly.

Yet again a one word, but too fast, too strict, too loud. She looked at what he was doing. He was sitting on the kitchen table, his full body facing the wall and his back towards her. She rolled her eyes and walked up to him, sitting next to him. Shadow turned his face towards the opposite direction. Now it was obvious that he was keeping something from her.

"Shadow." Rouge was loosing her patience.

"What?" he asked rudely.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you."

"No."

"And why not?"

"Because…"

"Am I too ugly to look at or something?"

"… Perhaps."

Rouge glared at the back of his head, Shadow could feel her eyes shooting daggers at him, but he remained positioned. His eyes wandered around the kitchen room, finding something to keep him of interest. And the only thing was the refrigerator, but it was better then seeing Rouge and acting all idiotic around her.

_'He's being a bit too stubborn than the ordinary.'_ Rouge commented, sighing and getting up from the table.

"Fine. Be that way." she said, with her tone of attitude.

"I am that way." Shadow snapped back.

Rouge flinched. Anger was building up inside of her. She felt like grabbing her biggest pan and whacking the Ultimate Life forms' noggin good to teach him a thing or two. But she of coarse didn't dare since Shadow overpowered her by both strength and speed... but flight, yes.

She thought to make him look at her and let him look at her straight in the eye. But why was she feeling like that? Who knows. Rouge decided to do as her limbs wanted her to do, and stomped towards the stubbornly black hedgehog, grabbed his chin and pulled his head over towards her.

Big mistake.

"Now listen closely Shadow, you've been giving me this kind of attitude for as long as I've known you and I want to know who your true self is!" she demanded in a deathly tone.

She glared into Shadow's blood-red irises, but raised an eyebrow because instead of sharp oval shapes from his eyes, they were heart-shaped. She noticed him starting to drool like he'd just been, love struck.

"Oh, you know what my true emotions are Rouge?" he asked sweetly that it nearly made Rouge scream with his sudden... weirdness.

She quickly stepped back to observe the Shadow that wasn't himself anymore. The black hedgehog stood up and started to follow, reaching out towards her with both his hands.

"Rouge, don't fear me, I'm your lover right?"

"Lover!?" Rouge screamed.

She tried to get away, but her back met the refrigerator, so there was either left or right to run to. She quickly sprint left towards the exit. She could hear Shadow follow her with heavy stomps.

"Rouge! Please don't run from me!"

"What the hell's wrong with you now?" she asked, trying to avoid an embrace by the now frivolous hedgehog's firm yet loving arms. She was now scared of him. Why be scared of a kind, loving, 'gaga' Shadow instead of the rude, expressionless, serious one? Probably because it was too sudden and that Shadow was trying to hug her which was the complete opposite and probably the last thing he'd ever do.

"Rougey-poo! I adore you!" he… was singing.

Shadow jumped over the sofa and tried to catch Rouge, but she ducked as he went flying over her head with a crash behind her that made her wince. She stood up and dusted herself, trying to take things calmly.

"You know you gotta pay for that."

She was soon surprised at Shadow's speed on getting straight up and ready to tackle Rouge to the ground. "Okay Rougey my honey bear, but after I'm done making love to you!"

Rouge's eyes went as big as baseballs. "WHAT!!"

Shadow took a step toward her.

Rouge took a step back.

_'Wh-what happened to him overnight? Or what happened just moments ago when he was acting his self and then--'_

_'Damn it that stupid Cupid! Control yourself Shadow! Stop acting like a complete moron who's lovesick!'_ Shadow ordered ragingly in his mind, trying to fight back from his body to stop talking lovey-dovey and to stop chasing Rouge, trying to smug her.

But no matter how hard he fought with his mind to control his limbs, Cupid's power of love was stronger, gaining full control of his body.

Did he really love Rouge, and never knew he did until this moment? Or probably only thought of her as his closest friend that they seemed so close, but it was actually platonic.

Whatever happened with the heart-shaped arrow striking his forehead and that blond-haired boy, was why he was acting so loveably goofy?

"Come here Rouge, and lemme give you a big kissy-kiss sweetie! Let me make you feel better!" Shadow's mouth spoke without his mind telling it too, or maybe his mind did think that, but he hasn't yet realized?

"Why not you get away and stay away from me you psycho!" she replied.

"Awww, don't be like that sweetheart! Or I'll have to take you myself."

"Catch me if you can then!"

What wrong words to shout from Rouge's lips. She quickly covered her mouth knowing what she just said, and seeing how determined Shadow was to have her, he would gladly do so. She looked towards him, and sure enough, he was getting ready to pounce, on her.

"Okay my delicious cup-cake, you asked for it now honey!" and with that, he pounced with both his legs, straight at her.

Rouge had no time to dodge since it was faster then his regular springs. She then fell the floor with a thud, feeling weight atop of her. It was warm, furry, and muscular.

"Oh crap." she mumbled, assuming what was going to happen next.

She looked up to see a grinning Shadow with his handsome face above hers. "I got you, my love." he whispered as he lowered his head, slowly closing the gap between them both.

**XXX**

Rouge was running down the sidewalks of Station Square, huffing the air in her lungs. She continued to run, not daring to look behind her. Lucky for her that the sidewalks were empty so she wouldn't run into people, unlucky for her since she can easily get caught by none other then the love-struck Shadow.

"Rougey! Come back here my darling!" Shadow called out.

"I said get away from me you crazy person!" Rouge yelled back.

"I still haven't kiss your warm, delicious lips yet!"

"Like I wanna be kissed like that!"

She then had the guts to look back. Sure enough, Shadow was chasing after her with his eyes still heart-shaped and a wide, with an innocent yet stupid smile on his face. He was only ten feet away. Rouge tried to force her legs to pump faster, and run harder, but they were weakening. She had run full speed for nearly half an hour and ran now for nearly fifteen kilometers.

"That's it! Time for this bat to fly!" she told herself between pants.

She opened her wings to catch the drift of the wind. And she soon began to swoop off the ground.

"No Rouge! Don't leave me!" The black hedgehog begged.

She didn't say anything. She just continued to soar up slowly, her speed increasing. Rouge didn't look back. Shadow kept calling out to her, saying anything that would bring her back, but Rouge ignored his calls until she heard--

"Rouge, I love you!"

Everything then seemed frozen. Rouge was speechless. Too startled to even do anything. That was the least she expected Shadow to say past his lips. Too startled to even fly correctly, she folded her wings and landed gently on the concrete ground.

Shadow, then realized what he had just said. After all this time, he finally admitted his true feelings towards the beautiful white bat. If he had control over his actions at the moment, he would take that all back, but since he didn't, he only stopped his running since Rouge had stopped as well.

Her back was still facing towards him. But the spell continued and took affect that made him walked up to her and embraced her in a gentle hug, wrapping his arms around her neck.

Rouge felt his warmth, it was like a soft scarf. "Shadow, do you-- do you really mean that? After all this time we've been together, you felt that way towards me?"

Shadow smelled the scent of her fur lovingly. But that wasn't him doing it just to remind you.

_'Say no! No, No, No Dammit!'_ Shadow thought, but that was his mind. His heart did the talking.

"Yes. when I first laid my eyes you, I somehow knew that at that moment, I already knew that I had to have you. It just took time until now to take the courage and tell you straight forward."

Rouge had never heard Shadow speak so fondly before. Did she have to tell him her true feelings? She took a sigh and gently broke away from Shadow. It was time to tell him.. or was it?

"Shadow?"

He looked into her eyes, awaiting for her to respond, with hope that she felt the same way. It was too much, that Rouge faced away and looked down to the ground, suddenly feeling afraid.

"I'm sorry Shadow." She whispered softly.

At that moment, Shadow could have sworn he felt his heart tear apart. The love and joy in his eyes disappeared, and the love spell from Cupid, faded away. He was now himself again. He didn't need the love spell anymore since he no longer had to hide his feelings. He was now going to show them. And besides, why love someone when they don't love you back? What's the point? Right?

Shadow didn't know what to do. He just shot out what first appeared from his mind. "But why?"

Rouge started to feel a pain in her chest, regretting what she was saying. "I... I don't feel it."

Shadow couldn't stand this now. He shook his head, turned his back towards her, and started to walk away.

"Shadow!" Rouge called out.

Shadow didn't stop, he didn't turn back. He continued to walk.

"Shadow stop! Wait!" She called again, this time running after him.

When she caught up with him, Rouge tried to get him to look at her. To look to her. "Shadow, please listen to me."

Shadow then stopped abruptly and turned towards her with his eyes blazing out anger and hate. "I am doing as you requested. I'm getting away from you! That's what you wanted me to do isn't it?!"

Rouge was surprised. He was now as dark as she was used to, but darker than before. She didn't say anything, and he continued to walk. Rouge felt like sobbing, but she didn't do so in front of him. And she didn't follow him this time, didn't call to him, didn't try to stop him. Only watched him and counted every step he took. Every step, was a step away from her.

"Good-bye Rouge." He said to her.

When he was out of sight, she fell to her knees and cried.

"Shadow, no… don't l-leave me! I-- I-- I--" she tried to control herself, but she couldn't. She just had to let it out.

**XXX**

The wind blew softly against the trees' leaves to rustle and play its rhythm. Streets were empty, stores and buildings now closing, and the sun setting as a warning that the day was to soon end. A black and red figure was the only being in sight, sitting on a bench in the open hillside park, watching the glowing sun that made the trees look like a beautiful orange glow disappear.

His arms and legs were both crossed with a frown on his face. He was deep in thought, still angered, still emotionless as he was before, but after the incident what just happened earlier in the day, was nothing he'd forget. The way his heart was broken just like that. So quick. So simple.

_'I don't need that her! She doesn't love me so get on with your life! Love is useless. Stupid. The dumbest emotion in this universe. I can live without it. Everyone can live without it! I hate love! I hate everything! I hate everyone! I hate--!'_ Shadow stopped, he couldn't say that he hated his best friend.

Not that he didn't want to. He tried again, this time aloud.

"I hate R--!"

"I. Hate. Ro--!!"

"I! Hate! Rou!--!!"

"I! HATE! ROUG--!!"

"I HATE ROUGE!!

Shadow was now panting from all the struggling he had to do to say those words. He tried to believe what he just said, but his heart wouldn't allow him. He cursed, knowing no matter what he did, what he said, he would never stop this emotion towards her.

_**"Hello Shadow the Hedgehog! We meet again!" **_Shadow heard a childish, friendly voice say.

He gritted his teeth, knowing who it was. He looked up and gave the darkest look that anyone would fear, and there he was, the young boy with the blond hair, blue eyes and small white angel wings.

"You…" Shadow snarled lowly.

The child continued to smile brightly, seeming to ignore Shadow's dark look. He landed on the park bench beside the black hedgehog and looked up at him. He was defiantly shorter than Shadow thought, probably no taller than two feet.

_**"I can see that you had trouble with that… hot girl!"**_ the child squeald.

"…" Shadow said nothing.

_**"You know, just because she turned you down doesn't mean you hate her."**_

"…" Shadow said nothing.

_**"Trust me, I've been through these things a gazillion times! I know how you feel, and I'm Cupid! The god of love here! I know how it goes when it comes to broken hearts!"**_ The child laughed.

"…" Shadow said nothing.

Cupid stopped his giggling and faced towards the serious hedgehog. _**"Are you even listening to me or giving me the silent treatment?"**_

Shadow scowled, and faced Cupid. "I don't need advise from a small kid who was dumb enough to begin all of this in the first place!"

Cupid pouted. _**"Well for your information Shadow the Hedgehog, I'm older than you."**_

Shadow scoffed. "Yeah, whatever kid. Why not run along now before your mother gets concerned for your absence."

_**"Seems to me that it's your stubbornness that lead you to that chick declining you. No wonder, because you're so mean!"**_ Cupid stuck out his tongue.

"See? How can you be elderly than I and still act childish?" Shadow growled.

_**"Because I'm still young for a god, I'm only 14,498 years old."**_

Shadow's eyes widened. He _was _older then him. The Ultimate Life form only faced away with his arms still crossed.

_**"But we're getting off topic here mister! That hot girl you're in love with--"**_

"First of all, her name is Rouge. Second, I never loved her. It was that stupid arrow that gave me an overtime chemical reaction that controlled the opposite actions I felt towards her."

_**"Really? Then why the long face when she turned you down, huh?"**_ Cupid asked slyly.

Shadow gritted his teeth. He didn't answer. He only stood up and started to walk away. Cupid continued to just sit where he was, watching Shadow walk without turning back.

_**"You know you still love her. And you know what?"**_

"What?" Shadow asked strictly.

Cupid laughed gleefully, _**"She might feel the same way if you just have given her another chance!"**_

Shadow turned around to protest. But when he did, the young boy with angel wings was already gone without a trace. Shadow walked back to the bench and looked to see any clues that there was a god there. Or maybe just his conscience, his strangest inner voice. Actually the only one he ever had.

When he looked down at the bench, he saw a white rose with light, red streaks on each petal. Shadow picked it up to examine it. Meeting Cupid for the second time wasn't a dream. He was really here. Shadow then noticed a small card on the stem that was neatly cut with no thorns. It said: _Happy Valentine's Day._

Shadow rolled his eyes and was about to throw it away, but something stopped him. He looked at the white and red rose again, which was over the black plastic garbage bag. He could have just release it. But he didn't want to. Just looking at that rose brought back that memory from earlier that day. Shadow admitting he loved Rouge. Rouge declining. Shadow walking away, saying to never see her again. Him a few moments ago saying he hated her.

He didn't mean it. He didn't mean to say good-bye, he didn't mean to say he hated her. He meant it when he admitted he loved her. He meant it when he admitted that feeling when he first saw her.

Shadow brought the rose close to his chest. _'I'm sorry Rouge. That I hurt you like that. It wasn't your fault that I never allowed you to say what else you were about to speak. It's not your fault that you don't love me. None of it is your fault. It's mine. All mine.' _He slowly got up and breathed to regain himself.

Still holding the delicate rose close to his heart. "I better go back and apologize to her." He said to himself.

But just before he even took a step to begin his search, his acute ears picked up a faint sound.

"Shadow!"

It was coming from, above. Shadow looked up to expect the least, "Rouge?" he asked himself.

The white bat began to land on the soft grass in front of Shadow.

"Rouge." Shadow whispered, seeing that she was the one he was about to search for, but she already found him.

Rouge didn't look at him, she looked at the ground instead. "Shadow, I was worried. I was looking for you all this time…"

Shadow looked surprised that after how he treated her so negative, she was still concerned for him.

"I-- I'm sorry for turning you down and--"

"No Rouge, I'm sorry." he interrupted.

Rouge shook her head. "No, I was the one who broke your heart after all this time you've been keeping your love for me for so long. And I know that right now, you hate me for it. And-- and--" Rouge was choking on her words, her eyes becoming teary. "I just want you t-- to kn-- know that I-- I-- I never meant to say that I didn't love you back Sh-- Shadow."

Shadow listened carefully to each syllable that passed her lips. Rouge couldn't hold her tears any longer, they then fell freely out of her glowing aqua eyes.

"All we've been through, we've been so close. For as long as I can remember, you were there for me. To comfort me, to save me, and now, to love and care for me. And after all this time I never realized that you loved me and now I know. And now I realized something too."

She looked up at him, eyes glossy with tears. Shadow had never seen her so beautiful with the sun making her glow, like an angel.

"Shadow…" Rouge whispered.

His face softened with no more frown, and yet not a smile.

"I-- I love you." she finally confessed, summoning all her courage to yell out those three small yet powerful words.

Her true emotions towards her best friend was now revealed to him. Shadow was speechless. He didn't know what to say, but he felt his heart, uniting the millions of broken pieces into one whole again. A genuine smile curved up his lips. He looked at the bat who was still sobbing. He knew that it was hard for her to admit it. It's always hard to admit love. True love.

Rouge didn't look back up at the black hedgehog whom she loved, ashamed that he still hated her for declining the first time. But she was scared and confused since it happened so suddenly, not really believing she had said the three most powerful words combined. She just continued to stand there, crying.

"Rouge…" Shadow whispered.

Rouge slowly looked up, and the next thing she knew, her lips were met with Shadow's. It was just so unexpected. It only lasted for a few seconds, but to her, it lasted much longer. When he his lips broke apart from hers, he brought her to another embrace. This time more slowly so she wouldn't get startled.

"I never hated you. At first I tried to make myself not to care, but no matter how much I wanted to hate you, I can never feel those emotion towards you." He whispered in her ear, telling no lie, but full truth.

His arms tightened around her waist , wanting her closer to him. "I love you too. Always have, always will."

Those words made Rouge's heart melt, now filled with joy. She hugged him back tightly around his neck. "Oh Shadow!" she cried with tears of pure happiness, not ashamed to fall.

They remained in their embrace for who cares how long. The sun was now nearly gone with the sky a soft pink and orange making everything the light touched, glow with beauty. When they finally broke apart, Shadow took Rouge's hand and placed the white and red rose in her palm. Rouge gasped at it's elegance.

"Happy Valentine's Day, my beautiful, beloved rose." He grinned.

Rouge smiled at him and gave him a peck on the lips. "Thank you… my Valentine."

She gave him a playful nudge. Shadow chuckled.

_**'So, what did I say? I was right wasn't I Shadow!'**_ he heard in his head.

Shadow didn't bother to look around. He knew that "_he" _was back, and was in his thoughts.

_'You again huh?'_

By the silence in his head, Shadow could tell that the child was smirking. He sighed quietly, having something to say to the love god. _I can't believe I'm saying this but, thanks.'_

_**'You're welcome Shadow! Now when you need anything, just give me a call and I'll help you okay? Bye now! And good luck with your lover!'**_

Shadow chuckled, knowing that he was now gone, off somewhere else. He didn't mind and just let that 'young' god do what he did best: Making people confess their love towards another.

Shadow only smirked, _'Stupid Cupid.'_

**AM: Happy V-day to everyone.**

**X-treme**


End file.
